Technology and the Inauguration

The Presidential Inauguration has changed a great deal since George Washington became the first president in 1789. As Inauguration Day began Monday, people in attendance surrounded the ceremony with iPads and smart phones in hand. 

Throughout the years there have been many changes and additions that have turned the inauguration ceremony into what it is today. The ceremony itself has become accessible to anyone with WiFi or cable, not just those who venture to Washington, D.C. Twitter has been become an acceptable as a way to acquire data. In fact, with the vast number of users and user participation, it is the fastest way to retrieve date. While the accuracy is not guaranteed, it can act as a springboard into a more verifiable source.
In the long history of the inauguration, speeches have lengthened (Washington's speech was a total of 135 words), pieces have been added and taken away.

Some of the biggest changes have been as a result of the advancement of technology. Technology has made the inauguration accessible to a greater number of people with each ceremony. Instead of relying on the media for documentation of the ceremony, it is now within the realm of possibility to get pictures and videos of the ceremony from friends, family and neighbors.

The first advancement in making Inauguration Day more accessible to the public was in 1845 with James K. Polk. It was the first to be covered by telegraph, and also featured an illustration in "The Illustrated London News."  In 1897, William McKinley's ceremony was the first to be captured by a motion camera. Roosevelt's second ceremony in 1905 was the first to have telephone lines. It was not until Calvin Coolidge in 1925 that the inauguration was broadcasted nationally on the radio. In 1949 President Harry Truman's second inauguration was the first to be televised. 

Since then, technology has continuously advanced. The ceremony is now streamed live on the Internet. Everyone with a smart phone is capable of making the event accessible to the public. President Barack Obama's first Inauguration Day ceremony was the first to be live-tweeted during the ceremony, during which time over 82,000 tweets were sent out. During the 2013 ceremony, 1.1 million tweets were dedicated to the ceremony.

“I'm honored and grateful that we have a chance to finish what we started. Our work begins today. Let's go. –bo” The President tweeted before the event.

I personally watched a live stream on my laptop from home, and when I lost Internet I used my iPhone to follow the #inaug2013 trending topic. There was an entire Twitter page dedicated to the ceremony that updated frequently throughout.

Live-streaming options were far from limited. Some options included the LA Times, CBSNews, ABC News, Yahoo News, NBC News, Fox News, PBS, C-Span, Politico, New York Times and Wall Street Journal websites.

Even a great deal of those in attendance utilized the live-streaming apps. There are photographs of people on the lawn watching from iPads.

Apps dedicated exclusively to live-streaming the inauguration for both Apple and Android products were available.

One specific app provided a great variety of coverage for the event, including SMS messages from the Presidential Inaugural Committee. The app also catered to those who attended the event by providing a guide the National Mall, locations of ticket booths and restrooms, as well as volunteer information.

The app did, however, receive some criticism. By agreeing to the terms of service, those who downloaded the app agreed to share their information “with candidates, organizations, groups or causes that we believe have similar political viewpoints, principles or objectives.”

This particular clause received backlash for not being “nonpartisan.” The app requested the user’s phone number, home address as well as GPS location. They were not necessary to access the app's features. Although it seems strange to me that anyone would be surprised or upset that an app used by those interested in the inauguration would like to gather information as well as provide it. To me, it makes complete sense for the app to use that data to find out what demographic is paying attention. These features can also be used to improve and advance technology. The terms and conditions also state anything posted within the app can be used “"without limitation in advertising, fundraising and other communications in support of PIC and the principles of the Democratic party, without any right of compensation or attribution."
But harnessing the use of technology to benefit our government was even a subject touched on by Obama in his speech.

“We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more and reach higher,” Obama said. “But while the means will change, our purpose endures:  a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American.  That is what this moment requires.  That is what will give real meaning to our creed.”

While the technology has increased the availability of the ceremony to the public, it has also arguably led to a shift in the focus. In the days following the ceremony, I have personally heard very little about Obama’s speech. In recent days, the story I have seen receiving significant coverage is centered around one of the performances during the ceremony. The controversy surrounding the Beyonce’s performance and whether or not she lip-synched has overshadowed a lot of the actual inaugural coverage. Michelle Obama’s bangs ended up being a trending topic during the ceremony, and has even become its own separate twitter account. A few months ago Michelle Obama received backlash from a variety of websites and magazines for wearing a dress from a thrift store to two separate events. And if that is a reflection of our country, I’m a bit frightened of the future.

While technology has without a doubt improved the public’s ability to gain access to a broader array of information, not all of it is beneficial. That is not at all to say the progress of technology is a negative thing, even though it is not always harnessed in a positive manner. It helps to keep the public informed, whether it is about the President’s speech, Beyonce’s singing ability or Michelle Obama’s bangs.